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stephen_arvidson's review
4.0
As many TMNT fans are aware, the Turtles canon is largely influenced by Japanese culture, manifesting ancient feudal-age motifs tweaked by the sensibilities of contemporary Japanese media so as to appear more fantastical. The beloved franchise uniquely blends martial arts clichés and conventions with the genre elements of superhero tales. What makes each TMNT incarnation so distinct and worthwhile is the diverse measure of style and intrigue adopted by its respective writers and showrunners. In the case of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, the bygone series often relied on a quasi-spiritualistic saga of events. In Volume 8 of the IDW trades, which collects Issues #28-31, the titular characters venture outside the hard-edged New York milieu to explore Japanese religion and culture firsthand.
Issues #28-30 comprise the “Midnight Sun” trilogy in which the Turtles, along with Master Splinter and April O’Neil, have stowed away on a cargo plane bound for Hiroshima; their mission: to rescue alchemist Fu Sheng and Chi Hsi, the human alter ego of the megalithic Warrior Dragon (last seen in Issue #20). In a guarded dockside warehouse, Chien Khan, a masked malefactor garbed in feudal-era samurai armor, uses black magic to harness Warrior Dragon’s power for his own fiendish machinations. If that’s not diabolical enough, Khan prepares to butcher a kidnapped girl, Oyiku, as part of a ritual sacrifice. Action-heavy and laced with dramatic panels that effectively heighten the tension, this narrative triad borrows heavily from Shinto myths and beliefs; specifically, in the form of primordial deities Izanagi and Izanami, who materialize in the eleventh hour to aid the Turtles and their allies against a herculean demon whose emergence from a ravaged nuclear reactor portends an imminent apocalypse. Speaking of which, storywriter Dean Clarrain dials back his environmental finger-wagging for a change. Although “Midnight Sun” literally demonizes the precariousness of nuclear power, the eco-preaching is (surprisingly) less ham-fisted. Penciller Chris Allan is beginning to find his footing as he assumes the full-time art duties previously held by Ken Mitchroney. Allan’s clean, amiable style is more action-oriented and better suited to the series’ increasingly dramatic tone. To his credit, Allan has a solid knack for capturing expressions and purveying emotions.
Discussion of the “Midnight Sun” arc wouldn’t be complete without addressing the debut of Ninjara. Introduced as Chien Khan’s thieving assassin, this foxy humanoid finds herself attracted to Raphael's brooding cynicism, and by the next issue the two are romantically involved. Although a welcome addition to the fold, Ninjara’s sudden change of heart seems incongruous and when it occurs there's little foundation to support it. If memory serves, April's presence in the series is diminished thenceforth as Ninjara supplants her as the female lead.
In Volume 8’s closing issue, our heroes regroup after their latest victory and partake in some soul-soothing activities. Mikey and Oyiku fly kites as the former performs a haiku dedicated to pizza; Splinter teaches Leonardo the basics of Zen, and Donatello fulfills Dean Clarrain’s obligatory eco-awareness subplot; Raphael is hypnotically drawn to a mystical torii while the burgeoning romance between April and Chu is fully realized. Titled “Turning Japanese” (a nod to the angst-filled 80’s ballad by the Vapors), Issue #31 is both a character study and a deep-dive into Japan’s cultural complexities. By engaging the protagonists in mundane affairs amidst a foreign land they know little about, Clarrain further defines each of the Turtles and their distinct personalities. The story maintains a steady sense of levity, despite the fact it delves into some serious topics while offering up vague hints at the forthcoming storyline.
Issues #28-30 comprise the “Midnight Sun” trilogy in which the Turtles, along with Master Splinter and April O’Neil, have stowed away on a cargo plane bound for Hiroshima; their mission: to rescue alchemist Fu Sheng and Chi Hsi, the human alter ego of the megalithic Warrior Dragon (last seen in Issue #20). In a guarded dockside warehouse, Chien Khan, a masked malefactor garbed in feudal-era samurai armor, uses black magic to harness Warrior Dragon’s power for his own fiendish machinations. If that’s not diabolical enough, Khan prepares to butcher a kidnapped girl, Oyiku, as part of a ritual sacrifice. Action-heavy and laced with dramatic panels that effectively heighten the tension, this narrative triad borrows heavily from Shinto myths and beliefs; specifically, in the form of primordial deities Izanagi and Izanami, who materialize in the eleventh hour to aid the Turtles and their allies against a herculean demon whose emergence from a ravaged nuclear reactor portends an imminent apocalypse. Speaking of which, storywriter Dean Clarrain dials back his environmental finger-wagging for a change. Although “Midnight Sun” literally demonizes the precariousness of nuclear power, the eco-preaching is (surprisingly) less ham-fisted. Penciller Chris Allan is beginning to find his footing as he assumes the full-time art duties previously held by Ken Mitchroney. Allan’s clean, amiable style is more action-oriented and better suited to the series’ increasingly dramatic tone. To his credit, Allan has a solid knack for capturing expressions and purveying emotions.
Discussion of the “Midnight Sun” arc wouldn’t be complete without addressing the debut of Ninjara. Introduced as Chien Khan’s thieving assassin, this foxy humanoid finds herself attracted to Raphael's brooding cynicism, and by the next issue the two are romantically involved. Although a welcome addition to the fold, Ninjara’s sudden change of heart seems incongruous and when it occurs there's little foundation to support it. If memory serves, April's presence in the series is diminished thenceforth as Ninjara supplants her as the female lead.
In Volume 8’s closing issue, our heroes regroup after their latest victory and partake in some soul-soothing activities. Mikey and Oyiku fly kites as the former performs a haiku dedicated to pizza; Splinter teaches Leonardo the basics of Zen, and Donatello fulfills Dean Clarrain’s obligatory eco-awareness subplot; Raphael is hypnotically drawn to a mystical torii while the burgeoning romance between April and Chu is fully realized. Titled “Turning Japanese” (a nod to the angst-filled 80’s ballad by the Vapors), Issue #31 is both a character study and a deep-dive into Japan’s cultural complexities. By engaging the protagonists in mundane affairs amidst a foreign land they know little about, Clarrain further defines each of the Turtles and their distinct personalities. The story maintains a steady sense of levity, despite the fact it delves into some serious topics while offering up vague hints at the forthcoming storyline.
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